Amidst the injury list going long, the England Cricket Board has officially announced that the England opener Ben Duckett is fit to play in the highly anticipated Champions Trophy starting on February 19. The left-handed opening batter had picked up a groin injury while fielding during the third ODI against India at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on February 16. He was visibly uncomfortable and was seen limping, raising concerns over his availability for the upcoming tournament. Earlier, English ODI skipper Jos Buttler kind of ruled out Jacob Bethell, raising serious concerns about injury concerns in the England camp. However, in a recent official release, ECB gave a breather, calling Duckett fit for the Champions Trophy. The ECB confirmed in their website, saying, “Scans on a left groin injury have confirmed that England Men’s batter Ben Duckett is fit and available for the ICC Champions Trophy. Duckett sustained the injury while fielding during the first innings of England’s third ODI defeat to India in Ahmedabad last Wednesday. The England squad will arrive in Pakistan on 18 February ahead of their opening match of the tournament against Australia in Lahore on Saturday, 22 February." The news comes as a huge boost for England, who are looking to bounce back from a disappointing 0-3 series loss to India. Duckett’s recent form has been one of the few positives for the team, making his presence vital for their campaign. Read also: Jacob Bethell to miss Champions Trophy 2025, confirms Jos Buttler Duckett coming back gives stronger opening pair for England Ben Duckett was England’s standout batter in the ODI series against India. He amassed 131 runs in three innings at an impressive average of 43.66 and a strike rate of 122.42. His aggressive starts alongside Phil Salt provided England with much-needed momentum at the top of the order. Since 2024, Duckett has been England’s leading run-scorer in ODIs, accumulating 436 runs in eight innings at an average of 54.50. He has registered one century and three fifties, proving his consistency in the format. England faces a challenging path in the Champions Trophy. Placed in Group B, they will compete against Afghanistan, South Africa, and arch-rivals Australia. Their campaign begins on February 22 in Lahore against Australia, followed by a clash with Afghanistan on February 26 and a final group-stage match against South Africa on March 1 in Karachi. With Duckett back in the mix, England will hope to make a strong statement and put their recent struggles behind them in the prestigious tournament.